21 is correct. You can't have a lower draft pick than any team with the same record as you. (The only other team at 10-6 were the Redskins, which means we had to be either 21 or 22. We were both eliminated on the same day, but we had the harder schedule - 21 for us.

Thanks pats1 and BF. Reading the explanation on ourlads left me confused however. It sounds like playoff teams' selection order can change depending on how they do in the playoffs, as follows:

1. The Super Bowl winner and loser pick 32nd and 31st, respectively.

2. All other playoff teams order will depend on when they are eliminated from the playoffs, but only within groups with the same regular season W-L percentage.

Is that right?

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Exactly. Which is why we would have dropped to 22 had we advanced further than Washington. We were tied and we were 21 based on the second tiebreaker of opposition schedule. But the first tiebreaker in a tied record group is advancement in playoffs. However advancement in playoffs, except for Super Bowl teams, isn't a tiebreaker for non tied regular season teams (other than all playoff teams picking after non playoff teams regardless of record).

Exactly. Which is why we would have dropped to 22 had we advanced further than Washington. We were tied and we were 21 based on the second tiebreaker of opposition schedule. But the first tiebreaker in a tied record group is advancement in playoffs. However advancement in playoffs, except for Super Bowl teams, isn't a tiebreaker for non tied regular season teams (other than all playoff teams picking after non playoff teams regardless of record).

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Thanks again. nfl.com has a draft page but they don't seem to explain the ordering rules there, at least that I could find. I suppose these third party sites are accurate but it would be nice to have an authoritative source, especially seeing as at least one (sportsline.com) which you would expect to be reliable, isn't.

Anyway, drafting 21st is the silver lining on a disappointing ending to the season, and a side benefit to losing in week 17. It's better than 25th, and a heck of a lot better than 32nd where we have picked 3 of the past 4 years! (Not that winning Super Bowls isn't worth picking lower... )

21 is correct. You can't have a lower draft pick than any team with the same record as you. (The only other team at 10-6 were the Redskins, which means we had to be either 21 or 22. We were both eliminated on the same day, but we had the harder schedule - 21 for us.

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Since Denver has Washington's pick, we just jumped ahead of the Broncos, who will pick 22.

The Broncos have 22 AND a late first-rounder. Eerily reminiscent of the time we had Wilfork at 21 and Watson at 32.

Thanks again. nfl.com has a draft page but they don't seem to explain the ordering rules there, at least that I could find. I suppose these third party sites are accurate but it would be nice to have an authoritative source, especially seeing as at least one (sportsline.com) which you would expect to be reliable, isn't.

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The most authoritative source is history. If one doubts Ourlads, one should then be able to show that the way they used is not reflected in past drafts. But one can not.